Oz bowling coach McDermott unwilling to let Watson bowl in Ashes opener

Australian bowling coach Craig McDermott has indicated his unwillingness to let Shane Watson bowl in the first Ashes Test as the all-rounder continues to recovers from a hamstring injury sustained during the recent India tour ahead of the winter Ashes opener starting on Thursday.

Watson completed light running drills before another lengthy batting nets session on Saturday and although the all-rounder held out hope that he could bowl in Brisbane, he agreed to sweat on the opinion of team doctor Peter Brukner who arrived in Brisbane on Saturday.

According to The Age, however, McDermott appeared to have already made up his mind and said that although they would wait until the day before the game to see where Watson is with his bowling, it however, would be very difficult to thrust the player into bowling straight into a Test match at this stage.

Unfazed by the prospect of not using Watson in his attack after watching Mitchell Johnson tear into the Brisbane nets in the past two days, McDermott said that he was impressed by Johnson's form and added that Johnson was likely to be thrown the new ball in his first Test since March.

McDermott further said that he likes where Johnson is at the moment from an attitude or head space point of view and his pace and seam position.